Ethereum will launch the Houdi testnet on March 17, resolving the Fectra test issues that occurred on the Holeski and Sepolia testnets.
This action is taken as developers work to address bugs that could delay the Sepolia fork.
Ethereum Releases Houdi Testnet for Fectra Testing
The Ethereum network is progressing with the Fectra upgrade to introduce major Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs). These proposals will strengthen the staking mechanism and improve the wallet user experience.
However, Ethereum is conducting tests ahead of the various EIPs. These tests ensure a smooth upgrade and mainnet launch through a systematic testing strategy.
The Sepolia testnet was upgraded to Fectra just a week ago, marking an important milestone in the development process. Additionally, Ethereum launched the Mekong testnet in early November to preview the Fectra fork update, allowing developers to evaluate the functionality ahead of a wider implementation.
However, in a February 25 post, Galaxy researcher Christine Kim highlighted the issues Ethereum faced in the Fectra upgrade testing phase.
"Fectra is live on Holeski...Missing blocks have increased slightly but network participation looks strong...Some client teams are reporting invalid block issues on the Eth R&D Discord...More blocks are being missed and the network is not completing...Developers are working to resolve the issues. Depending on the scale of the bugs, developers may delay the Sepolia fork...The network is still not completing, and participation has dropped to around 50%," Kim explained.
To verify if these issues have been resolved, Ethereum will launch the Houdi testnet on Monday, March 17. If the tests on Houdi are successful, the Fectra upgrade could go live on the Ethereum mainnet by the end of April. However, according to lead Ethereum developer Tim Beiko, there is also a possibility of a delay until May.
"A new testnet Houdi will go live on Monday to finalize Fectra testing. Keep an eye on the validator exit! Everything else can be tested on Sepolia and Holeski. Fectra will be scheduled more than 30 days after the Houdi fork is successfully completed, waiting for infrastructure and client testing. The Huygens plan is running in parallel, with the EIP proposal deadline on March 24 and the tentative date for scope freezing on April 10," Beiko explained.
This means that the Ethereum Fectra upgrade is contingent on successful testing on the Houdi testnet following the previous testnets. The Houdi testnet is scheduled for March 17, and the Fectra upgrade can proceed at least 30 days after. The update could go live on April 17 or later. Some users expressed dissatisfaction with this delay.
"Fectra has been delayed by a month. The core developers really can't ship anything on time," one user mentioned.
However, others did not seem surprised by the timeline, suggesting an understanding of the thoroughness required for a smooth mainnet launch. The launch of the Houdi testnet next week is a crucial step in ensuring the stability and effectiveness of the Fectra upgrade.
As developer reviews are strengthened and improvements to staking and user experience are planned, Ethereum's roadmap is focused on enhancing the network's long-term scalability and security.
"I'm glad this will make ETH sharper and more efficient," one user mentioned on X.
The next major upgrade, Huygens, is expected to follow in 2026. While details are still scarce, Huygens promises to further improve Ethereum's scalability and efficiency. This will drive the evolution of the network towards greater usability and adoption.
